The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-06
BAMBERGER.
THE FIRE RECORD.
l. Blaze in Tenement-House Causes
Panic, but No Serious Casualties Result.

Blaze in a Tenement House Causes a
Panic, but No Serious Casualties Result.
New YORK, Sept 5.-The cry Of fire was
raised about o'clock this morning in Fiftieth
street, between Tenth and Eleventh avenues.
It was no sooner heard than a scene of the wild
est excitement and panic ensued. The block is
filed with tenement-houses on both sides of the
street The fire in the fifth story double
decker, No. 522, which, with four others adjoin-
ing it, are owned by Messrs. Potter Brothers.
The buildings are of brick and have about
seventy-fve feet depth, four families living on
each floor. In the basement are wood houses
and coal bins. The fire apparently started in
of the wood houses. shot up through the air
shaft, burned it's way toward the stairway,
and spent its force in the upper
stories. Luckily several apartments in th e
house had not been occupied recently. and th ere
were only eleven families living there. They
had to find their way through the smoke men
carrying children, and women with their arms
full of clothing, household effects. etc A panic
equally great occurred in the houses Nos. 519
and $40. where there really was no danger TO
add to the horror the gas was turned off, and in
the excitement no light could be had. The peo-
pie, frantic in their efforts to escape fell over
each other and rrampled upon another, and
in the dark there was a struggling, surgng mass
of humanity. A police officer had gone to the
top floor, leaving officer Haggertyn on the third.
where he was assisting little girl and just
then the flames began to show themselves on the
third floor, and cut off his escape. His right
hand was severely burned. He reached the top
story and got out on the roof with officer
Brophy. They climbed down to the adjoining
roof, and came down through that building. The
escape of the people in the burned building was
most fortunate. Those on the first floor got out
without any trouble, and those the upper
floors left by way Of the fire escapes. Some of
them went to the roof and escaped to the adj join
ing building, and few managed to get down
stairs through the smoke and advancing flames
The excitement was intense. Women shrieked,
and children cried. The iremen aided
gallantly in the escape of the inmates
The flames shot up the stairway and
beat their way to the front OF the building.
They rapidly shot out on all sides. through the
windows and the roof The inmates OF 518 and
$50 became alarmed and left their rooms. James
Harmon jumped from the roof Of 5lS to the roof
of sic and had his leg broken A man named
Dowd fell in the street and cut his head. A lit
tie girl was left on the balcony of the top story
of 5l8. but was rescued by fireman.
Fireman Mcnamara and some fremen
were in the third story when
huge tank crashed through the roof. They
had narrow escape from being killed.
the tank falling within few feet of them
two of the men were struck by falling timbers
and bricks. Fireman William Mobiles
work in the yard when huge pile of bricks
fell from the roof, almost buryng him. He
badly bruised about the body. The fire burned
through the two upper stories. bahly cutting
them. 1t was nearly o'clock before the fire
was got under control. 1t was rumored tn at
several people had been buried in the ruins b ut
after the flames were extinguished the firem
made q careful search of the burned building,
but no bodies discovered. The occupants
of the burned building lost everything they pos
sessed, and only one of them was insured. The
loss the building is about $40. 900, and that to
the occupants will be about $3, 900.